Sunday, January 12, 2014

GOLDEN GLOBES 2014

The awards were really spread around. HER got best screenplay; GRAVITY got best director; DALLAS BUYER'S CLUB and WOLF OF WALL STREET got best actor; AMERICAN HUSTLE AND BLUE JASMINE got best actress; AMERICAN HUSTLE and DALLAS BUYER'S CLUB got best supporting nods; 12 YEARS A SLAVE got best film drama, and AMERICAN HUSTLE picked up a "tie breaking" award -- for BEST FILM COMEDY.

Tina and Amy were funny, but seemed to have less to do, and seemed less fresh and original than last year when they were new. For some reason they did not post the names of the presenters on the screen. If you missed the intro you had no idea who was talking.

Some really awkward silences replace bleeping.; It could not have been that bad what people really said. The silence seemed more obscene, actually.Comparing "thank-you" speeches to "talks from
the heart" to"I didn't prepare a speech" speeches, suggests to me that
for the Academy Awards they should require everyone to actually write a speech before-hand, and bar "thank-you's" completely.

In the TV categories, I was most excited that Jon Voight got a well deserved award for his brilliant work in RAY DONOVAN.

Dianne Keaton gave a nice tribute to Woody Allen. His tribute reel was a great tribute and reminder of how inspired his collection of work really is. Nobody expected him to show up. He didn't. I wish he had.All in all, though, it was fun to watch; genuine moments were great; and it's always nice to review and re-live the year's great work.

THE GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS (GG's)are among the most important and prestigious awards for films and television. They are the Honors bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. The importance of the GG's comes from several factors:

First, the decision makers, though small in number, are well respected; and they, of course, being foreign, say something about the importance of the films in the foreign markets, which are becoming more and more important every year.

Secondly, they come early, so the Academy Award voters (and movie goers!) are influenced by the Golden Globe Awards.

Finally, they give the best party, with nominated hopefuls at tables eating and drinking, not just sitting and waiting and waiting and hoping; and with the TV audience well entertained (at least since last year) by the great comedy/hosting team of FEY & POEHLER.

Below is the list of nominations for the Golden Globes. They’re organized here by categories:ACTING – ACTORSACTING – ACTRESSESFILMS AND FILMMAKINGTVMUSICQuite a bit has been left out from these awards, it seems to me. There are no categories for direction or writing for TV. There are no categories for web content (eg ALPHA HOUSE).This year, there could well be a category for best ensemble acting. 12 YEARS A SLAVE, for example, has great depth in the acting from the leads to the bit players.Some of my own favorites for the year have been left out. Scarlett Johannson gives one of the greatest performances of the year in HER (even though it's only her voice -- she never appears on screen).

THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY, which I think is really great movie, with terrific performances, suitable for all ages – a true family film – was completely left out. I think it is the most inaccurately under-appreciated film of the year, one that will be recognized as a classic in years to come. It’s a smart, funny, romantic fantasy. (NOTE -- The earlier, Danny Kaye version, of THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY is on TV tonight on TCM at 6:00).

I would have liked to have seen THE AMERICANS and Keri Russell nominated in the TV categories. That is a very fine show and Keri is terrific. SHAMELESS with Emmy Rossum and CALIFORNICATION with David Duchovny should also have been recognized, especially for their more-than-ordinary outrageous and edgy work. Also Christopher Gorham who plays the blind agent on Covert Affairs

On the other hand, I think ORANGE: OSAGE COUNTY didn’t work as a movie. The play on Broadway was a very funny catalog of pointless, pretty extreme misbehavior; the film has the same bad behavior but it’s not funny. I was delighted to see Lupita Nyong'o in 12 YEARS A SLAVE, and delighted that she was nominated. I’ve been watching her for years, since she stood out brilliantly in a small spot on a TV documentary both for her intelligence and her presentation. With Yale Drama School in her training; and with experience behind the camera as well -- working with such talents as Mira Nair, and even having made her own film -- she is likely to become one of the most important filmmaker/actresses in years to come.

Chiwetel Ejiofor is nominate for best actor in two categories, TV Movie or Mini-series (DANCING ON THE EDGE) and Dramatic Film (12 YEARS A SLAVE).Oddly, many channels have put up new work to play opposite the GGs, even if they themselves are nominated, and much of their audience is likely to be watching the GGs. GIRLS has its season premiere on HBO; THE GOOD WIFE has a new episode on CBS. (Both are in the running for GGs). Also tonight are the season premieres of SHAMELESS, HOUSE OF LIES and EPISODES on SHOWTIME, and TRUE DETECTIVE on HBO. CBS has a new episode of THE MENTALIST, and ABC has new episodes of REVENGE and BETRAYAL. Its a BEST ACTOR IN A MINI-SERIES OR TV MOVIEbusy night!

BEST TV MOVIE OR MINI-SERIESAmerican Horror Story: Coven ==>Behind the Candelabra Dancing on the Edge Top of the Lake White QueenBEST TV SERIES, COMEDYThe Big Bang Theory Modern Family Girls ==>Brooklyn 99 Parks and RecreationBEST TV SERIES, DRAMA==>Breaking Bad Downton Abbey House of Cards Masters of Sex The Good Wife